Two Weeks To Fall In Love
by Attanea
Summary: When Sakura tricks Ino into accepting a bet, will Ino be able to make someone fall in love with her within two weeks? And who will it be that Sakura has chosen for her?
1. The Bet

I hope this is a good one!

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**The Bet**

"I can get any guy I want, billboard brow," Ino yelled. She and Sakura had gotten into another one of their many fights. This one, like so many others, was about who was going to get Sasuke. They stood by the bench on the road out of Konoha. Ino had her hands on her hips, and Sakura seemed pleased with herself.

"Oh really?" Sakura smirked. "Is that why Sasuke is kneeling at you're feet?"

Ino glowered. "The only reason Sasuke never fell for me is because he never got the chance to know me. If he'd been on my team—"

"HA, yeah, that's it." Sakura continued to smirk. "How about a bet then? I bet you _can't_ make any guy fall in love with you."

"And why would I do that?" Ino shot at her. "What's in it for me?"

"If you win," Sakura said, matter-of-factly. "Sasuke is all yours _and_ I'll tell you the secret to completing the healing jutsu you're working on."

"And if I loose?" Ino narrowed her eyes.

"If you loose, Sasuke is mine and you have to cut your hair again."

"Hmph." Ino folded her arms across her chest and thought about it. "How will we know if the guy has actually fallen in love with me? And do I just pick any random, or what?"

"Well, I'll give you two weeks, and before that time is up he's got to kiss you. You can't make the first move, it has to be him, or it doesn't count. As for the guy, I get to pick him."

"Hmm…" Ino thought about it a little more. "So if I can do all that, I get Sasuke?"

"That's right." Sakura looked, for a moment, like she wasn't telling Ino something. Ino narrowed her eyes, and Sakura's face was replaced with the smirk from before.

"Okay, you're on!" Ino held out her hand and Sakura shook it. "So who's they lucky guy?"

An evil grin fell across Sakura's face before she hid it away. "Chouji," she said flatly.

"What?! Chouji? I can't have that fatty kissing me! Choose someone else! Don't be so mean!"

"Me? I'm not the one calling him a fatty. He's 'big-boned.' Besides, you already shook on it," Sakura said with a smug look on her face. "You know the terms. If you don't do it, Sasuke is _all_ mine."

Ino glared at her. "Okay fine. But no one hears about this, you got that? Say good bye to Sasuke, Sakura!" And with that, Ino spun on her heal and walked away.

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Ino found Chouji talking with Shikamaru outside a BBQ restaurant. _Typical_, she thought. As she got closer she figured out why they hadn't gone in yet.

"Shikamaru, please? Just this once and I'll never ask you again." Chouji begged him.

Shikamaru sighed. "That's what you said the last time. And the time after that. I don't have enough right now to treat you. Besides my mom wants me home to clean my room."

"Clean your room?" Chouji eyed him suspiciously. "There's no way you'd actually do that."

"Yeah, but my mom will kill me if I don't at least show up. Why don't you ask Ino instead?" Shikamaru nodded at Ino as she came up to them. Chouji glanced at her and let out a small laugh.

"Good one, Shikamaru. Ino would never do that."

"Then what makes you think I would?" Shikamaru groaned. "You're such a troublesome friend."

"I'll do it," Ino said with a smile. They both stopped and stared at her.

"You do know what we're talking about, right?" Shikamaru said. "You just agreed to pay for Chouji's lunch."

"I know." She continued to smile innocently. The both continued to stare at her. "Well I just figured it's the least I can do to make up for how much I always pick on him."

Shikamaru eyed her accusingly and was about to say something else when Chouji spoke.

"Yosh! Free barbeque!" he grinned and grabbed Ino's arm to drag her into the restaurant without another word. Shikamaru stared after them a moment longer with a look of utter confusion over his face. He shrugged it off and headed to the park.

Inside, Chouji had picked a table and sat down. Ino decided that sitting close beside him would make him uncomfortable so she sat opposite him instead. A waitress soon came over with Chouji's usual order without even asking him. He thanked the waitress, who turned to Ino to ask if she wanted anything. Ino said she was fine, using the excuse of how much she'd owe from Chouji's meal alone to get out of eating.

"So, Chouji," she began. "What have you been up to lately?" He looked at her and raised an eyebrow while he finished his mouthful.

"Look Ino, just because you feel like you owe me barbeque doesn't mean you have to force yourself to be so nice to me." Ino was taken aback by this while Chouji continued eating.

"I'm not forcing myself to do anything! You can't honestly think that," she said shaking her head. "I'm never _that_ mean to you."

"Normally," he said through a mouthful before swallowing. "You refuse to treat me to barbeque because you think I'm a fatty."

"Well I realized your weight doesn't matter," Ino said through a fake smile that Chouji didn't notice. "It's for your jutsu anyway and I've never seen another big-boned person that can pull off the look so well. You wouldn't be Chouji without it. Besides, you're not _that_ fat."

Chouji glared at her suspiciously and continued to eat his food. Ino gave up her attempts at conversation, feeling incredibly uncomfortable. Once he was finished, she went up to pay, groaning at the amount it had come to. "No wonder Shikamaru always tries to get out of this."

She walked back over to their table, where Chouji was getting up. "You ready to go?" she asked.

"Hai," he said. When they left the restaurant and started walking down the bustling street, she walked closer to Chouji than she normally would have. Her hand brushed his a couple times. He seemed uncomfortable with this and tried to move away, but he was unsuccessful due to the crowded streets.

"Ano… Ino?" he said.

She glanced at him. "Hm?"

"I've got to get going. I was going to train with my dad today." And with that, he shoved his way deeper into the crowd and was gone.

_Well that was incredibly frustrating. Not to mention embarrassing._

"What's wrong, Ino?" Sakura jeered as she came up beside Ino. "Things with Chouji not going as _planned_."

Ino scowled. "If Chouji were the last guy on earth, I still don't think he'd make a move on anyone. He's too dense."

Sakura laughed. "Too bad. Anyone else and I might actually loose." Ino stopped and turned to face her, much to the complaints of passer-bys at the sudden stop in the flow of people. With her hands on her hips, Ino smiled with satisfaction.

"That was just one date. I still have two weeks to go. I wouldn't feel too secure just yet if I were you."

"HA," Sakura smirked. "I could give you three weeks and you still wouldn't win."

"Hmph." Ino started walking again and used the crowd to get rid of Sakura, pulling into a side-alley and jumping onto the roof. She jumped across row after row until she was sure she had left everyone she knew behind.

"That Sakura," she mumbled. "This is going to be _so_ impossible."

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**Author's Notes:** Hmm... Will she do it? Will she go against everything she stands for and let a 'fatty' kiss her all so she can get Sasuke? Only one way to find out! If I get some reviews to show that someone has found my story, I'll post the update. .  
Until then,  
-Atty


	2. Frustration Before Progress

Okay so let's just forget about the fact that this is a really small chapter and celebrate that I even managed to write it for Ino's birthday! tee hee. So yes, I dedicate this to Ino on her birthday (September 23rd). I hope it satisfies for a little bit longer becuase I probably won't be able to update this one for a while.

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**Frustration Before Progress**

It had been four days since the bet started, which meant Ino only had about a week and a half left to woo Chouji's heart. And so far she was failing miserably. On the second day of the bet, Ino had found Chouji in the training grounds, and offered to train with him. She obtained more scratches from getting out of the way of his attacks than chances to flirt with him. She had gone home sore that day.

On day three, she had stumbled across him in Tsunade's office; only to find out he was getting sent on an escort mission with Hinata. Tsunade's crude excuse for this pairing was that they were short handed and Ino and Sakura were busy under her training. Ino felt something along the lines of jealousy towards Hinata, but only laughed at herself for it, convincing herself that it was just because it was one less day to win the bet. It was only C-Rank, and they had arrived home at early noon today.

Now, far into the afternoon, she was staring sulkily at a half dead fish that she was supposed to be healing. This was the jutsu that Sakura had been talking about when they had made the bet. She didn't know why it was so hard to mend something as simple as a fish! She was going to win this bet, no matter what. This step in her training was taking too long. It was another one of those 'you can't be told how to do it, you have to figure it out for yourself' ones. Naturally, that was bullshit as usual. It could easily be done when you're told how to do it; it just turns out better if you figure it out by yourself. Anyway, back to Chouji.

It was true that Ino had once suspected Chouji liked her. Now she was thoroughly convinced that he didn't even know she was a girl! Every little attempt she had made to show she wanted him to make a move on her was ignored. Maybe she wasn't as beautiful as she thought after all. Shikamaru had even said something once about how not all guys liked thin girls, and that she was _too_ thin. He didn't know she had heard him telling Chouji this, but she had. Now she was starting to believe him.

_No! Don't think like that, Ino. You're beautiful. End of story. It's that there's something wrong with Chouji, not you._ She never even flinched at her conceitedness. It was her nature by now. She hardly even noticed she was doing it. She performed the seals once more and gave an attempt at the insufferable fish, grumbling as if it was preventing her from doing it on purpose. After a few minutes, she growled and hit the fish back into the small pool of water in front of the table she was working on.

"I'm not sure what's more impossible," she huffed as she turned on her heel to leave the room. "Healing a fish or making Chouji fall in love." She stormed through the door and made her way to Tsunade's office. She knocked roughly on the door and waited for Tsunade to call her in. She heard sudden movement and the shuffling of papers before her knock was answered.

"Come in."

"Tsunade," Ino said impatiently as she barged in, noting the sleepy look in her sensei's eyes. "I need a break from the healing jutsu. Is there anything else I can do instead?"

Tsunade eyed her blearily as if she hadn't heard a word. Ino went as far as to huff in impatience before she heard an answer.

"Well, I do need some boxes on one of the lower floors moved to up here. You can do that if you want," Tsunade's head nodded as if she was about to fall asleep.

"Move some boxes?" Ino put her hands on her hips. "If I do that for you, can I go home?"

"Hai, hai, hai," Tsunade waved her off lazily with a hand. "You might need someone to help you though. They're heavy."

Ino groaned before bowing respectfully and leaving Tsunade's office. She had hardly reached the stairs when a thought struck her.

"_You might need someone to help you though. They're heavy."_

Ino let a sly smile creep onto her face. _Perfect_, she thought as she went down the stairs two steps at a time.

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Ino found Chouji atop a building at Shikamaru's favorite spot. Both Chouji and Shikamaru were lying on their backs staring up at the clouds.

"Chouji, hey!" Ino said. "There you are. Oh, hi Shikamaru."

Chouji glanced at her. "Hi Ino."

"What do you want?" Shikamaru groaned.

"Nothing from you," Ino shot at him. "Actually, Chouji I was hoping you could help me with something."

"Help you?" he asked, squinting at her.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama has asked me to move some boxes for her and their kind of heavy so she said I could get someone to help me if I needed. And so I thought I should ask you since you're so strong." Chouji continued to watch her, and she smiled at him innocently. He then lay back and closed his eyes.

"You mean right now?" he asked.

"Ye—"

"Ino, leave Chouji alone," Shikamaru cut her off. "You don't need to be so troublesome all of the time. Do something for yourself for once."

"Shikamaru, I wasn't asking you. And for good reason because I knew you'd say something like that," Ino pouted and crossed her arms. "Besides, the boxes really are heavy and, unlike you, Chouji actually has some muscle."

"Tch."

No one said anything for a few moments while Chouji seemed to consider the request. It didn't take long before he smiled and sat up. "Sure, why not?" he shrugged and stood.

"Thank you so much, Chouji!" Ino smiled and turned to walk down the stairs.

"Chouji," Shikamaru said lazily. "You're too nice for your own good, did you know that?"

Chouji just smiled and followed after Ino.

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**Author's Notes:** Like I said: short. But at least I did it! -makes angel face- Thanks for reading it anyway, though!  
-Atty 


	3. Embarrassment For Progress

What's this?! An update?! heh heh. It's another short one, but... Happy Early New Year you guys! And don't expect any more of these...

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**Embarassment For Progress**

"Oouf!" Ino grunted, half placing, half dropping one of the last few boxes on the floor of a room much like Tsunade's office, only on the opposite side of the mansion.

"You okay, Ino?" Chouji asked from behind his three boxes. He set them down easily on the rug and turned to her. She straightened up and brushed herself off.

"Yeah, that one was just a little heavier than the rest," she said, trying her hardest to not let her frustration show in her voice._ This so isn't worth it_.

"You know, Ino," Chouji said, heading out the door with her. "I can get the last few boxes myself if you want. They are kind of heavy."

Ino perked up at the suggestion but after throwing the idea quickly around her head she sighed. "No, it's okay Chouji. We can probably finish it in one more trip together anyway."

Chouji just smiled at her and stepped aside to let her go down the stairs first. She saw the smile and didn't comment on it, but it seemed the smile was because he was glad that she was helping just to help, and not because she felt obliged to.

When Ino had made her way around the outside staircase about half way, she paused to see Chouji ambling down after her. She stopped and leaned against the side of the Hokage's mansion to wait for him to catch up. When he reached her, she hesitated and then spoke up.

"Thanks for all your help, today Chouji. I really appreciate it." Yes, saying something like this was awkward, but at least it would score her a few points with him. And she also knew she was saying it because she really was grateful for his help. Those boxes were _heavy_! It was times like this that she realized just how useful Chouji's 'big-bones' were.

"Don't mention it, Ino," Chouji said with a glance to her before they both continued down the stairs.

There was hardly enough room for them to both fit on the same step and keep pace with each other, and Ino's constant thoughts about this and how close it put them weren't helping with her balance. When she was barely three steps from the bottom, she felt her foot slip from under her and barely had time to grab onto something before she found herself falling backwards. She grabbed unsuccessfully at the wall and felt her other hand close around Chouji's has he jerked around to catch her, just in time to break her fall and stop her from acquiring a nasty bruise on her head.

"You okay?" Chouji asked, pulling her back up and steadying her on the ground. Ino swayed and then righted herself before answering.

"Yeah, thanks," she said, pulling back her hand. Her heart was racing and she knew it wasn't from the fall. _What is wrong with me? Stuff like that with Chouji shouldn't be affecting me._

"Should we get the last few boxes then?" Chouji asked, cutting into her thoughts.

"Oh, yeah, sure," she said, skipping over her words and taking an extra step to steady herself. She managed to make the step seem like nothing by turning it into a walk and heading around the corner for the last few boxes.

She walked around a few of them and then bent over to lift up one of the smaller ones. She hardly had it an inch off the ground before she was forced to drop it again, effectively pinning her hand beneath it.

"Ow!" she hissed, trying to pull her hand back, but unsuccessfully. _Why does the smallest box have to be so heavy?_

"Here," Chouji said, hurrying over and reach under to pick it up off her hand. He picked it up in a way that made him wrap his own hand under hers so when they stood up straight, her hand was now pinned between his and the box. "Oh, sorry," he said, shifting his hand so that she could get hers free. He looked away in embarrassment and looked down at the rest of the boxes around him.

"Get that one," he said, kicking a box, causing it to slide a foot, proving its lightness. He then proceeded to put the box he was carrying onto another, and then picked those up together and put them onto yet another box before picking them all up and heading back for the stairs.

Ino took a minute to register that he was carrying the box that had crushed her fingers _at the same time_ as carrying two more boxes. Clearly she had chosen the right man for the job.

She walked over to the remaining box and dug her fingers under it before heaving it upwards. It was _not_ light! _How on earth does Chouji make it look so easy?_

"You coming Ino?" he called back to her.

"Yeah, I'm coming." She walked back around to the stairs in time to see him heading up and she followed after him.

--

"So," Chouji said, setting down his boxes and dusting off his hands. "That was fun."

"Heh heh. Yeah, fun," Ino said, laying on the sarcasm thick as she dropped her box at an empty spot on the floor. "Anyway, you probably want to get back to Shikamaru or something. Thanks again for all your help."

"Yeah, anytime," he said, turning to her with one of his big smiles that caused his eyes to close. Ino took the opportunity to step over and put her arms around his waist in a quick hug. Chouji jumped in surprise and Ino was just as surprised that her arms when all the way around his middle.

"I really appreciate it," Ino said, pulling back and trying her hardest to act casual and keep the heat on her face down. She had to keep telling herself that it was all an act to get him interested.

"Uh, yeah…" Chouji said, looking away and lifting up a hand to rub the back of his head in embarrassment. The gesture reminded Ino of Shikamaru. "I better get going."

Even if Ino had wanted to say some sort of a farewell, Chouji had already bolted from the room.

_Heh,_ she thought. _Looks like it's working._

_

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**Author's Notes: **So review a lot and I may write another chapter before two more months go by :P Thanks to those who have stayed with me since that first chapter I posted about 4 months ago. 0:)


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